Helium gas shortage: Vedanta, BEL, CG Power, Tata Elxsi, Lal PathLabs shares among worst hit; here's why
Due to the LNG shortage, spot prices of Helium have risen sharply, potentially exceeding $2,000 per thousand cubic feet for certain buyers, particularly those without long-term contracts.
- Mar 20, 2026,
- Updated Mar 20, 2026 12:20 PM IST
As the world stares at a major Helium shortage post Iran's attacks on Qatar's key LNG gas hub Ras Laffan, stocks in India are also facing intense selling pressure. Helium is a byproduct of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) processing. Attacks on Qatar's LNG facilities during the West Asia war have wiped out 17% of the LNG capacity for up to five years, said QatarEnergy’s chief executive Saad al-Kaabi on Thursday.
Due to the LNG shortage, spot prices of Helium have risen sharply, potentially exceeding $2,000 per thousand cubic feet for certain buyers, particularly those without long-term contracts.
Back home, the global LNG supply shortage will severely impact sectors such as healthcare particularly diagnostic chains, semiconductors and aerospace.
Stocks of diagnostic chains Thyrocare Technologies, Dr. Lal PathLabs, Metropolis Healthcare and Vijaya Diagnostic Centre are the major losers due to the prospects of helium shortage across the world.
Shares of Thyrocare Technologies have slipped up to 7.56% since the West Asia war started on February 28.
While, Dr. Lal PathLabs stock has lost 5.42%, Metropolis Healthcare shares have slipped 7.10% since February 28.
On similar lines, shares of Vijaya Diagnostic Centre are down 9% since the start of the West Asia War.
In the current session, shares of Thyrocare Technologies rose 1.49% to Rs 364.55 against the previous close of Rs 359.20. Market cap of the diagnostic firm rose to Rs 5802 crore amid the rally in Sensex and Nifty today.
Shares of Dr. Lal PathLabs fell 0.19% to Rs 1323.20 on Friday.
Metropolis Healthcare shares fell 3% to Rs 442.25. Market cap of the firm stood at Rs 9169 crore.
Shares of Vijaya Diagnostic Centre were trading on a flat note at Rs 918.95 today. Market cap of the firm fell to Rs 4473 crore.
Diagnostic chains use liquid helium in MRI scanners. An MRI scanner includes coils, a magnet, and wires that conduct current.
Liquid helium in MRI scanners gives magnetic coils in the scanner superconductive properties. Liquid helium cools down the superconducting magnets, which generate images of the human body, to a temperature below 4,15 Kelvin (-269°C).
In semiconductor manufacturing, helium is useful across multiple steps of semiconductor manufacturing, according to market research firm Frost and Sullivan.
The firm says that the gas is essential for cooling lithography, etching and deposition equipment. It is also used in maintaining stable thermal and vacuum conditions in advanced fab. The gas also supports high-precision processes where contamination is unacceptable. Shares of Vedanta, which is involved in semiconductor manufacturing, have slipped 5% since the start of the war. In the current session, Vedanta stock rose 2.56% to Rs 687.90. Market cap of the firm stood at Rs 2.66 lakh crore. BEL shares too have slipped 2.36% to Rs 433.95 since February 28. HCL Technologies shares also slipped 2.96% in first 20 days of March to Rs 1349 in the current session.
CG Power stock too has taken a 4.5% hit during the period.
Another semiconductor manufacturer Tata Elxsi's shares have fallen 6.13% since February 28. Limited global output and storage capacity offer few immediate solutions for helium's shortage. Helium is also used to make advanced electronics such as semiconductors for drones.
As the world stares at a major Helium shortage post Iran's attacks on Qatar's key LNG gas hub Ras Laffan, stocks in India are also facing intense selling pressure. Helium is a byproduct of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) processing. Attacks on Qatar's LNG facilities during the West Asia war have wiped out 17% of the LNG capacity for up to five years, said QatarEnergy’s chief executive Saad al-Kaabi on Thursday.
Due to the LNG shortage, spot prices of Helium have risen sharply, potentially exceeding $2,000 per thousand cubic feet for certain buyers, particularly those without long-term contracts.
Back home, the global LNG supply shortage will severely impact sectors such as healthcare particularly diagnostic chains, semiconductors and aerospace.
Stocks of diagnostic chains Thyrocare Technologies, Dr. Lal PathLabs, Metropolis Healthcare and Vijaya Diagnostic Centre are the major losers due to the prospects of helium shortage across the world.
Shares of Thyrocare Technologies have slipped up to 7.56% since the West Asia war started on February 28.
While, Dr. Lal PathLabs stock has lost 5.42%, Metropolis Healthcare shares have slipped 7.10% since February 28.
On similar lines, shares of Vijaya Diagnostic Centre are down 9% since the start of the West Asia War.
In the current session, shares of Thyrocare Technologies rose 1.49% to Rs 364.55 against the previous close of Rs 359.20. Market cap of the diagnostic firm rose to Rs 5802 crore amid the rally in Sensex and Nifty today.
Shares of Dr. Lal PathLabs fell 0.19% to Rs 1323.20 on Friday.
Metropolis Healthcare shares fell 3% to Rs 442.25. Market cap of the firm stood at Rs 9169 crore.
Shares of Vijaya Diagnostic Centre were trading on a flat note at Rs 918.95 today. Market cap of the firm fell to Rs 4473 crore.
Diagnostic chains use liquid helium in MRI scanners. An MRI scanner includes coils, a magnet, and wires that conduct current.
Liquid helium in MRI scanners gives magnetic coils in the scanner superconductive properties. Liquid helium cools down the superconducting magnets, which generate images of the human body, to a temperature below 4,15 Kelvin (-269°C).
In semiconductor manufacturing, helium is useful across multiple steps of semiconductor manufacturing, according to market research firm Frost and Sullivan.
The firm says that the gas is essential for cooling lithography, etching and deposition equipment. It is also used in maintaining stable thermal and vacuum conditions in advanced fab. The gas also supports high-precision processes where contamination is unacceptable. Shares of Vedanta, which is involved in semiconductor manufacturing, have slipped 5% since the start of the war. In the current session, Vedanta stock rose 2.56% to Rs 687.90. Market cap of the firm stood at Rs 2.66 lakh crore. BEL shares too have slipped 2.36% to Rs 433.95 since February 28. HCL Technologies shares also slipped 2.96% in first 20 days of March to Rs 1349 in the current session.
CG Power stock too has taken a 4.5% hit during the period.
Another semiconductor manufacturer Tata Elxsi's shares have fallen 6.13% since February 28. Limited global output and storage capacity offer few immediate solutions for helium's shortage. Helium is also used to make advanced electronics such as semiconductors for drones.